Sri Hitler

[Guest guest]

Forgiveness is an interesting subject. Many, including myself occasionally

still, seem to be under the impression we are responsible to forgive the

'wrongs' or 'evildoing' of every Hitler, serial killer, etc. We have

usurped the place of God. Seems to me that you nor I have any right,

religiously or morally, to forgive these murderers -- only the victims do.

Jesus asked God to forgive those that crucified him. He did not

(supposedly?) ask God to forgive those that crucified all the others.

Forgiveness, as the bible speaks about it, is personal.... it is contingent

on the one who hurt another by accepting responsibility and recognizing what

he did was wrong (repenting)... and it can be given only by the victim.

 

In the movie ''Dead Man Walking", nowhere did the Sister/Nun who was visiting

Sean Penn (the killer), feel a need to forgive him. It wasn't her place!

She was there to help him take responsibility for his actions before his

execution. She was there to listen to the families of the victims and help

them, if they chose, to let go of the hate.

 

Does it help to forgive (someone/something) that has caused hunger in

third-world countries, or with the homeless? If the thought of

children/people going hungry bothers anyone, it is a call to feed one

another. Forgiveness doesn't fill an empty tummy. It does give one a false

sense of satisfaction for doing nothing about the problem. "I forgive them,

so I am a good person." It doesn't feed the hungry, and it doesn't pardon

the one who murders another.

 

As we give up this need to forgive, ignore, or deny, the world for it's

evil's/hurt against others, we can really begin to make a difference. If

what is morally wrong bothers you, do something that will make a difference

in the world for the better, to make this a more beautiful place to live.

Substituting for God for another will get us nowhere. Looking at our own

forgiveness issues where we think we may have hurt another or they have hurt

us personally; feeding the hungry ie. looking at what 'in the world' bothers

us and doing something instead of merely complaining; being a part of the

making of a stronger and better world somehow; speaking up; helping each

other; random (and non-random!) acts of kindness; doing something where we

see ourselves or others as victims of the world... all of these and more may

be a better place to begin than forgiving what is impossible for us to

forgive.

 

Just some thoughts,

Love,xxxtg